Letters to the editor

By: CYNTHIA LESCALLEET, Staff Writer

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Public servants should do their homework on issues

Dear Editor:

There was a time in West U when concerned citizens thought that certain issues were not being properly handled and sought out qualified candidates to run for office. Individuals would also declare their candidacy and would campaign to get elected. The acceptance to serve as a public servant should also carry with it the responsibility of advocacy for important ideas. Homework was, and still is, required of these people to understand the issues. The public official must be able to differentiate between the special interests of the few from those of the many. Whose bottom line is going to be enhanced? And, whose ox is going to be gored? ##M:(full story)##

Important community issues must be prioritized, such as infrastructure completion and financing, water wells and subsidence, flood control, house footprints, safety and permeable ground, park and recreational greenspace, our urban forest and recycling.

Flooding will not go away. The best solution is to build above grade level. Have a crawl space under the house. Storm drainage systems should use large culverts designed, not only to pass along small volumes of water, but also as temporary storage streams for large volumes of water and to pass along that water unidirectionally when able. The Rice University hydrologist indicated that, to dissipate all of the water Tropical Storm Allison dumped on us, we would need a cistern with the boundaries of our city. But, U.S. 59, north of us, is in reality a ditch, an excellent holding pond.

Finally, in response to a recent letter to the editor, I hope there are those in the city who still cut their lawns on Saturdays and, if it rains, they cut them on Sundays. And, how about doing something about the noise level of leaf blowers? Everyone should return phone calls. How about learning enough about a problem to make a decision rather than tabling it and hiring a consultant to make the decisions?

Stan McCandless West University

Thanks for the good work

Dear Editor:

I enjoy your newspaper and have been reading it weekly since you started publishing Molly Ivins.

Your informative coverage makes us aware of all the good people and events in our part of Houston and encourages one to partake in the betterment of that community.

Thank you for Cynthia Lescalleets article on the Hyde Park Miniature Museum at the Brazos Projects Space.

She captured the delightful atmosphere created by D.D. Smalley and brought many visitors to the museum.